KABUL, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-four Taliban militants were killed and 29 others injured after Afghan police launched a Special Operation in the restive northern province of Baghlan, the Interior Ministry said Sunday.
"General Command of Police Special Units launched a large-scale counter-insurgency operation in Baghlan-e-Markazi district, Baghlan province, killing 34 insurgents and injuring 29 others," it said in a statement.
The raid was conducted in the wake of a series of Taliban-led attacks on security checkpoints and regular blockage of a highway, which connects the capital of Kabul to three northern provinces, by the militants.
"The operation was launched a couple of days ago and a total of 16 villages have been cleared so far. But the raid will continue before the district is cleared of the militants," the statement noted.
A RPG-7 rocket launcher, 20 rounds of RPG rockets and 34 mortar shells were also seized and 10 drums full of explosives were also destroyed by security forces, it added.
Fighting has escalated as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in southern and eastern Afghanistan to the once peaceful northern region, where Taliban have been recruiting from the youths.
The Taliban militants have yet to make comments.
